The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-17
BILL NYE AS A DUELIST.
lie Challenges Rurax Editor in aIruly
Chivalrous Way.

CnlVdlTOuS " dy'
From, the Ne,o York World.
The following copy of a letter has been
handed to newspaper with a view to general
publicity:
| Mr.. George w Tidd, Editor Cranberry Pal
| lddiltDs.
SIR: Ny attention has Just been called to
printed statement made over your own
| signature some time ago, in which you
spoke in light and fippant manner of my
hair. The remark was carefully worded,
but calculated to cast obloquy and reproach
| upon me in the eyes of the public. L have
spoken to several friends in relation to 1T
and they are OF one opinion IN the matter.
They unite in saying that the term "Meu-
J can hairless humoristn demands challenge,
to say nothing of the statement that while
on board a train which was robbed in
| Nebraska | succeeded in ''conceallng
my jewelry in my hair until the danger had
passed"
| For this, sir, beg to state that my ad-
dress is at No. 231h Rue de Bowery, OPP
| posite the Place du Railway Mysterie, and
to ask that you will send me your own ad-
dress. / forward this by the hands of slow
messenger boy, who will bring me your an
| swer as soon as he gets thoroughly rested.
need not add that he is my friend and Will
act as my second, should you refuse to
| retract the statements referred to. Y on may
also settle with him for this message and
! your own.
i will settle with YOU
| hope, sir, that you will excuse anything
that may seem coarse or brutal in this chal-
lenge, for desire only to take your life
| without giving you any otfense, and L want
| to be polite like other duellists. May l ask,
| therefore, that at your earliest convenience
| you will name quiet place. as free from
malaria as possible, where we may Kill each
other undisturbed.
| May | trouble you also, sir, to select two
as dangerous weapons as possible, and also to
bring with you the surgeon who generally
sews you up at such times.
The DeNyes have always been a hot
blooded race ever since they left France, and
they can none of them brook an insult or
| bear to be tramped on.
When / first read your singing insult
in the paper l became delirious with
passion, and although | am not related to
the Knickerbockersm my breath came in short
pants.
The DeNyes are pleasant people to meet
| but the man who infuriates one of them is
| liable to meander up the fiume in an oblique
| manner Pardon anything sir, in this COM
munication which may sound harsh or clash
with the smooth and scholarly style of assas-
slnation peculiar to the Code. l desire to
meet you in mortal combat, but want to do
| it in polished way, and / desire to word
this note so that it will read well in print,
| like other challenges.
have consulted several friends about the
| prospect of our meeting in a duel at no dis
tant day and all of them seem to be highly
| gratified. 1t affords me great pleasure to
note that go into this thing with the hearty
| Endorsement and godspeed of all, without
| distinction. If you would prefer to wait
few weeks, till the weather is
cooler, so that you can lie in state longer,
/ 4 a.. I'D
advise you not to cross my trail in the mean
| time.
My second will no doubt inform you that
am an expert and deadly swordsman and
will try to convince you that it will be best
not to name the sword, Do not be too proud
| to heed his advice. 1t may save your life
and mine also.
l hope you will not treat this challenge
| lightly sir, and try still further to heap
ridicule upon an old and widowed name by
suggesting soft gloves or watermelons as
| weapons. Let us meet as gentlemen, sir
| fire and fall down, stagger to our feet, lean
! heavily against a tree, mutter q few
words in hoarse voice, gasp two times in
rapid succession, put on our coats and go
| home.
feel almost certain, sir, that you will
treat this note in sighting and jaunty
manner, but beg that you will not do so.
| For the sake of the Tidds, who were always
plain but rather pleasant set Of people, and
for the sake of the DeNyes, whose only
fault has been their fondness for flesh,
not blood furnished by other parties;
| for the sake of all our ancestors, sir, let me
beg of you to assist in making the duel
success.
| If | have been brutal in the wording of
this challenge, sir, or violated the Code, or
misspeed any words, will you please have
it corrected before you send ito the printers
! ask this favor of you in all sincerity
| and in as courteous manner as pos
sible, hoping that you will grant it promptly
and that you will lose no opportunity to
do all the good you can during the next few
days.
! have arranged all my earthly affairs with
| the exception of paying my poll tax. have
! turned off the gas meter and am prepared
for any accident, though the police have
promised to come in and arrest us at any
time we may agree upon.
In closing, sir, allow me to express the
hope that you will surely be at the duel and
that you will bring you dinner.
| My second Will offer you the choice of
weapons, with an opportunity for retrac-
ton If you enter into life and its enjoy
ments with real zest, would advise you to
avail yourself of the opportunity to retract,
| for, although sir would be a great deal
happier with your hearts blood, the retrac-
ton will do me Just Us well and you need
not humiate yourself in writing it, do
not ask you, sir, to grovel. You can write
d retraction which will not compromise you
at all and yet one that will give me much
pleasure.
In the mean time. sir, | shall remain at
the above address, awaiting your decision,
| and whatever it may be, sir, ! beg to re-
main your most obedient antagonist and
well wisher, WILLIAM De NYE,
Formerly Duke of Sweetwater county and
Referee during the MOdoc war